The Expert Mind

11Aug06

Just stumbled on a fascinating article from this month’s Scientific American that talks about what separates chess grandmasters from experts from novices, and what we can learn about the “expert mind” in all fields. I can’t hope to summarize the thesis of the article here, but I found this snippet both inspiring and terrifying:

Ericsson argues that what matters is not experience per se but “effortful study,” which entails continually tackling challenges that lie just beyond one’s competence. That is why it is possible for enthusiasts to spend tens of thousands of hours playing chess or golf or a musical instrument without ever advancing beyond the amateur level and why a properly trained student can overtake them in a relatively short time.

If you consider yourself an expert in your field or aspire to become one, there ought to be a lot of thought-provoking nuggets for you in this article.